هماهنگی پیاده سازی ERP با اولویت های رقابتی شرکت های تولید: مطالعه اکتشافی

Companies worldwide have made substantial investments in installing enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. In the meantime, implementing ERP systems has proven unexpectedly difficult, and the final benefits have been uncertain. Several researchers have concluded that the failures are usually the result of business problems instead of technical difficulties. ERP systems affect a firm's strategy, organization, and culture. Past research has recognized the need for planning an ERP implementation at the strategic level but offers no specific guidelines. Using the case study method that involves direct observation and systematic interviews at five US and Taiwanese manufacturing firms, this study investigates the relationship between ERP implementation practices and a firm's competitive strategy. The results confirm our research proposition, that ERP implementation should be aligned with competitive strategy. Specific guidelines are suggested for making the alignment. In addition, we identified two other variables, national culture and government/corporate policies, as being critical to ERP implementation in multi-national settings. Managerial implications of the findings and future research issues are discussed.

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is an information system that manages, through integration, all aspects of a business including production planning, purchasing, manufacturing, sales, distribution, accounting, and customer service (Scalle and Cotteleer, 1999). It streamlines data flows throughout the entire organization and allows managers direct access to real-time operations. Through data integration, ERP eliminates counter-productive processes and cross-functional coordination problems that hinder the integration of the organization. ERP arrived at a time when process improvement and accuracy of information became critical strategic issues. The emphasis on supply chain management and the advancement of information technology created a need for enterprise-wide integration. In the past few years, ERP has become a “must have” system for almost every firm to improve competitiveness. Mabert et al. (2000) surveyed 479 US manufacturing firms and found that over 60% of companies have installed or plan to install a packaged ERP system.

Many companies are following the trend toward making large investments in implementing ERP systems. At the same time, many of them did not even conduct a formal analysis or strategic plan prior to implementation (Mabert et al., 2000). Even when a formal analysis was performed, it was generally limited to traditional ROI and payback methods. Considering the potential impact ERP systems could have on business competitiveness, it is no wonder that many firms failed to recognize the benefits of ERP because of the lack of planning at the strategic level. The research proposition of this study is that an ERP implementation should be aligned with a firm's competitive strategy.